Cutlery sharpener



April 21, 1931. D. c.. CON'YNGHAM 1,301,302

I CUTLERY SHARPENER I Q Filedduly 16, 1927 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 OFFICE DAVID C. CONYNGHAM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK GUTLERY SEAR-Penna Application filed July 16, 1927. Serial No. 206,189.

This invention relates to cutlery Sharpeners and more particularly to such as are used in sharpening the edges of knives and like cutting blades as employed in domestic and '5 public kitchens, etc.

The advantages possessed by keen cutting blades is well understood and it is also'well known that many devices are designed for the purpose of 're-sharpening such knives,

in which an abrasive disc is used and the blade guided by metalparts which in practice frequently dull the blade rather than sharpen it.

v It is therefore one of the objects of the presentinvention to provide a sharpener in which no metal guide is used but a relatively soft material,preferably wood, is employed throughout.

A further feature is in the provision of means whereby the sharpening head is held on a fixed stand in such manner that nolubrication is necessary for its proper perform ance, the head being instantly removable for safe storage when not in use, thus avoiding possible breakage.

Another purpose is to produce a blade sharpener having means to press the blade into suitable relation with the abrasive disc whereby effective results are attained by the user even if unfamiliar with the operation of sharpening. 7

These several advantageous objects, together with others such as ease of operation,

economy and cheapness of production, are accomplished by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing, forming an essential part of this disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevational, partial sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a similar view, but showing a modified bearing and stand holding means.

Figure 4 is a partial side elevational view illustrating the spring pressure means used.

to hold the blade while being sharpened.

The device consists of a stand having a base 10 which may be secured on any suita-ble surface by means-of screws 11 or,- as shown in Figure 3, by a central screw 12 passing through the bore 13 of the raised portion 14 of the stand.

Fitted to the bore 13 is a spindle 15 so as to freely revolve therein, the bottom of the spindle resting directly at the bottom of the bore 13 or, as shown in Figure 3, on a Izp'plerical element 1.6 such as a hardened steel The upper part of the spindle is screwtlireaded to receive nuts 17 and 1,8, respectively upper and lower,.these nuts being adjustable as wear takes place on the parts and may be provided with washers 19 as indicated.

A wheel'or disc 20, composed of emery, carborundum, or like abrasive materials, is substantially of the same diameter as that of the stand base 10 and is provided with slightly concave sides 21, one of which rests upon the lower nut 17 while upon the outer upper side is disposed a conical wooden guide 22 over which is placed a washer l9 clamped by the upper nut 18.

In the preferred form a pair of these disc guides are used, the upper disc 22 being superimposed so as to provide a bevelled annularspace 23 thercbetween, a similar space 24: existing between the lower side of 7 the guide 22 and disc to guide the cutting edge of a knife blade 25.

In order to hold this blade firmly, yet yieldingly against the side surface of the abrasive disc 20, a bent flat spring 26 is secured at its lower end by one of the screws 11 as shown in Figure 4,'the upper end of the spring being curved inwardly toward the axis of the spindle so that the blade is pressed into the annular recess 24 and it will be obvious that as the blade is moved reciprocatively, it will be brought into contact with the grinding disc and guided at a proper angle by the element 22 without special attention on the part of the operator.

It will be understood that when one side of the blade has been sharpened it may be reversed andre-applied to receive a grinding efifect upon the opposite side. 7

Attention is further called to the fact that the guide discs being of wood, rather than metal, no dulling effect of the blade can possibly occur.

The purpose of the upper disc, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is that after the blade has been sharpened, by drawing the same between the discs, the relatively soft wood will remove any wire edge that has formed upon the knife edge.

Although the foregoing is descriptive of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that minor changes may be made in its construction, without the exercise of invention or conflicting with the scope of the claim hereto appended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a cutlery sharpener, a base, a spindle revolvably journaled in said base, a bearing support therefor, a circular abrasive tool mounted thereon, a frustro-conical guide mounted on the spindle and in juXta-position to the tool, a leaf-spring carried by said J base and positioned to resiliently support a blade in operative contact with said tool and guide.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DAVID C. CONYNGHAM. 

